# How different are Cabs



## Ermo (Jun 3, 2006)

I've read all the polls and threads that say Cabs are better than dress boxes, I know that is the consensus. But how are they different? I do not really like that dress boxes are somewhat box-pressed from fitting in the box and cabs aren't, that appears to be an immediate advantage of the Cabs. But if you were to smoke a dress box and a cab, same month same factory same cigar, what would be the flavor difference? Are cabs only good for long-term aging, more than 5 years? I've also heard that "better" cigars go into cabs, why would they do that.


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## raisin (Dec 3, 2005)

I do prefer the symmetry of a round cigar in my fingers, that is probably the biggest difference betweeen the two (in the short term).


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## Sandman (Mar 26, 2006)

I know everything I have in a cab tastes damn good.


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## oddball (Feb 14, 2006)

I've never A-B tested cab vs. dress box. But I like the overall packaging of the cabs. PLUS THERE'S 50 OF 'EM


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## drevim (Dec 21, 2005)

Maybe it is all in my head, but I've tried Parti Shorts from early 05 in both. To me the cabs taste better. I don't know if there is truth to the fact better sticks get put in the cabs, but to me there is a difference.


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## RGD (May 10, 2006)

Just my thoughts on the subject: first off the roller does not know if the cigar is going to end up in a cab or dress box, so should be no difference there. The person sorting of course knows what they are sorting for - so they are after 50 smokes that look extrememly close together in wrapper color, texture, etc.
Is there a taste difference? Maybe - but that would simply be that there are twice as much with more room in the cab for the blending to take place. Other than that - I have to say it's the same smoke.


Ron


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## Puffy69 (Sep 8, 2005)

I love the smell of cabs too. So much more Dank smelling than a dress box


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## stickman (Aug 15, 2006)

Well this is a very popular question that I was searching for an answer over at another BB that I frequent called icc....when I asked the question I was directed to another thread on the board in a section called "Waynes Corner"....Wayne is acually the writer of the famed book MRN and this is what he had to say about this popular question...I think you will find it very informative

http://www.internationalcigarclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1567

Stick


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## n2advnture (Aug 9, 2004)

I don't believe that the blends are different between a DB or a cab. I think that the effects of aging in cardboard vs. cabs is apparent when comparing aged smokes of the same year/vitola. (This obviously doesn't take into consideration differences between crops).

~M


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## ATLHARP (May 3, 2005)

DB vs. Cab? All I can say is between boxes/cabs of the same cigar, the cabs tended to draw a little better and taste a little better than the dress box. Yet if taken from both of them after a period of a month and put in any standard humi the flavor comes back to both the DB/Cab sticks. I think the cabs have the leg by not by much.........:2 

ATL


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## Bruce (Dec 31, 1999)

There is NO difference in blend, quality, or anything else for that matter between cab and dress boxes. I have been to the Partagas factory personally and watched the process of rolling, sorting, and grading cigars. There is NO special selection process of what goes into cabs versus DB's with the exception of wrapper color.

IMHO, the reason cab cigars are "better" ie: aroma and flavor is that you have cigars "bundled" together in an enclosed cedar box. This allows the aromas to concentrate and permeate throughout the entire bundle of cigars, thus enhancing flavors.
Of course, this is JMHO.


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## Da Klugs (Jan 8, 2005)

Bruce said:


> There is NO difference in blend, quality, or anything else for that matter between cab and dress boxes. I have been to the Partagas factory personally and watched the process of rolling, sorting, and grading cigars. There is NO special selection process of what goes into cabs versus DB's with the exception of wrapper color.
> 
> IMHO, the reason cab cigars are "better" ie: aroma and flavor is that you have cigars "bundled" together in an enclosed cedar box. This allows the aromas to concentrate and permeate throughout the entire bundle of cigars, thus enhancing flavors.
> Of course, this is JMHO.


:tpd: One aditonal thought. The cigars in cabs are not "squished" (box pressed). It's gotta be hard on the lil fellas.


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## Baric (Jun 14, 2006)

Cabs are far more airtight than dress boxes which means that aging occurs slower BUT better in Cabs as opposed to boxes, so for long term aging cabs are best. apparently the sorters always put the best smokes in cabs because more discerning smokers buy cabs and therefore demand high quality.


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## Bruce (Dec 31, 1999)

Baric:
With all due respect, your statement is not correct. I have first hand knowledge (saw for myself at the factory) and the sorters DO NOT reserve the best smokes for cabs.


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

stickman said:


> Well this is a very popular question that I was searching for an answer over at another BB that I frequent called icc....when I asked the question I was directed to another thread on the board in a section called "Waynes Corner"....Wayne is acually the writer of the famed book MRN and this is what he had to say about this popular question...I think you will find it very informative
> 
> http://www.internationalcigarclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1567
> 
> Stick


Nice post...however unless you post there they do not let you read posts. You need to ask for special permission from the owner to 'lurk'.


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## stickman (Aug 15, 2006)

jgros001 said:


> Nice post...however unless you post there they do not let you read posts. You need to ask for special permission from the owner to 'lurk'.


sorry I didnt know that...thats a shame because its a very informative post...sorry for sending anyone over there that was turned away

stick


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## dvickery (Jan 1, 2000)

#1 reason(the short term)that i prefer cabinets...no ring

nothing pi$$e$ me more than damage to a wrapper when removing the ring...darn cubans have had 514 years to figure out how put a ring on a cigar and still havnt learned the right way.

other than a few siglos i havnt opened a cabinet with rings on it yet...how sad they are doing this now(ringing all cigars).

#2 reason(the long term)that i prefer cabinets...long term aging

i believe that (in not as many years as you might think) the cedar ages cigars better...since everything i buy is for serious aging...i get the benefit of this "better" aging method.

final thought...lots of cabinets are 25 cigars(for those whos reason is "there are 50 in a cab" )...any siglo...punch rs#xx or ss#xx...any partagas serie du connaisseur...upmann magnum 46...all come to mind.

still it is nice to have 50 smokes looking at you when you open a box of cigars.

derrek


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## coppertop (Dec 29, 2003)

dvickery said:


> #1 reason(the short term)that i prefer cabinets...no ring
> 
> nothing pi$$e$ me more than damage to a wrapper when removing the ring...darn cubans have had 514 years to figure out how put a ring on a cigar and still havnt learned the right way.
> 
> ...


Well said Derrek!


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## Fumioso (Apr 28, 2006)

Bruce said:


> IMHO, the reason cab cigars are "better" ie: aroma and flavor is that you have cigars "bundled" together in an enclosed cedar box. This allows the aromas to concentrate and permeate throughout the entire bundle of cigars, thus enhancing flavors.
> Of course, this is JMHO.


So if I were to "repackage" my dress boxed cigars into solid cedar boxes (as I have actually done with a bunch of PSD4s that came in 3-packs) would I achieve the same effect as cabinet aging?


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## partagaspete (Apr 27, 2004)

Okay I am still a nooB but here is my take. I purchased a dress box and a cab of party shorts. I found a diference for sure... better is in the eye of the beholder or beer holder... I personally liked the dress box better because I smoked them now! but I saved some of each. and though after a few years I still preferrred th dress box. But I KNOW why FOG's or more seasoned smokers would prefer the Cabs they age better, period. Keep in mind Party shorts are probably the best to compare dress vs cab but here is the key- do you want to age or do you want to smoke. If it is age than buy the cab and age for 5-10 years if to smoke--start in six months and note the difference in 3 years. I hope this helps but I am still learning. Enjoy!

T


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## stickman (Aug 15, 2006)

Fumioso said:


> So if I were to "repackage" my dress boxed cigars into solid cedar boxes (as I have actually done with a bunch of PSD4s that came in 3-packs) would I achieve the same effect as cabinet aging?


imho...yes and not only that....when i take my sticks out of there cardboard boxes and put them in ceder boxes I find they smoke better as little as 3 or 4 days later


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## Mikes (Apr 6, 2004)

With the majority of cigars in my walk-in being in cabs I have to say that this is the format that I like alot. Dunno if it has to do with the fact that there are 50 in there, that they are in that great looking, easily stackable, great smelling spanish cedar boxes, that because you get so many you can actually age them and at the same time still smoke them, or that they are still round. As for the rings not coming on 50 cabs...haven't Habanos S.A. started banding all cabs?


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## raisin (Dec 3, 2005)

Mikes said:


> "that because you get so many you can actually age them and at the same time still smoke them"


I wished that worked for me!


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## etenpenny (Dec 12, 2005)

Ive found, in my short experience with these, is that I like the taste of cigars aged in a cab more. I dont know if anyone else has noticed this, but it seems that older cigars that have been aged in a dress box for 8-10 years or longer have a more "musty" smell (and taste sometimes) then those that are in cabs. With that being said, they both still taste great.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

I doubt you’ll find many that prefer the dress box over a cab for any reason except for storage requirements. Dress boxes take up less space, and tend to give more color inside the humidor, but that about it. 50 cab’s are such a joy.


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## clovis (Apr 14, 2004)

In addition to what others have said about the "more airtight" cabs and such...
It seems that there are certain flavors in cigars that are quite volatile...take the partagas "peppery" flavor for example.
To me, a new P Short DB loses this particular flavor quickly...so I say that flavor must disipate pretty quickly. If that P Short were in a more aritight environment (like a cab)...then that peppery flavor stays around longer.

I notice this in PSD#4's too...for the first half year from boxing date they have a very strong black pepper taste...then they "go sick" and lose it for a while....they may later come back "spicy" but it's not quite the same type of spicy.

Everybody always talks about Partagas shorts, PSD4's, etc. being great young....is it just that there is a particular chemical that's light on staying power? Once it's gone, we have to wait for other "good tasting" chemical products requiring maybe a couple of years...in the meantime our smokes are now blah

Please dont' misread this...it's possible to have peppery like flavors in really old partagas (I've read, but have very little experience with much of anything over 5-6 yrs. old)....but maybe it's not the exact same type of peppery.


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